Shades of Black and White
by gentledove2
Summary: Hermione Granger takes the blame and the punishment for something she didn't do. This story covers what happens after her life-changing decision! Happy ending guaranteed for Hermione Granger and Thorfinn Rowle! (Note, yes I know the chapters are small but I have been struggling with writer's block and this is easier for me.)
1. Secret Crush

For as long as Hermione could remember, she was alone...always alone. Her natural love for learning and her precociousness endeared her to adults but left children her own age jealous and spiteful. They might find her useful for her academic proclivities, but there it ended. Hermione was left alone...always alone. 

Hermione had high hopes that things would be different at Hogwarts...she had looked forward to attending that school for over a year and surely there she could find at least one friend. Poor Hermione, it was the same as it had been for her at her Muggle primary school...jealous students used her for what she could do for them and there it ended. Year in and year out, it was the same. She was left alone...always alone...and so it lasted until she was in her fourth year. 

Early on in her third year, Hermione developed a secret crush on one of the students who was a few years older than her...Thorfinn Rowle by name...pureblood...Sacred 28...Quidditch star...he could have any witch he wanted and according to the scuttlebutt, he did. Hermione was certain he would never be interested in a witch like her...after all no one else liked her...but still, for some reason, she had feelings toward Thorfinn, even knowing full well that they were non-requited...and never would be. 

Hermione decided that she wanted to learn everything there was to know about Thorfinn Rowle. She began to discreetly stalk him and she hovered over every scrap of information on him that she was able to gather. She even found herself attending every game Gryffindor had against Slytherins, watching Thorfinn careful from the stands while pretending to study the book in her lap. 

She kept track of him in school...she knew all his courses...knew his study habits...knew of his friends...knew of the many witches who had spread their legs for him...listened to his boisterous laugh in the corridors...she even had even started to pick up on the many pranks he played on the staff. 

Certainly, of all his fellow students, Hermione probably knew Thorfinn the best and one thing she knew for sure, was that by his 6th year, he had pranked the professors so often that he was in danger of being expelled. 

Any normal student knowing that if they continued to play tricks on the staff that they were facing a suspension, possibly even being expelled, would pull up his bootstrap and buckle down to serious studying...but not Thorfinn...he wasn't normal...he was full of life and he was naturally mischievous...he just had to play one more prank, relying on his charm to get out of it. 

Hermione was secreted away in a niche, watching Thorfinn set up his next prank on Professor Snape, head of his own house. Thorfinn loved to live life dangerously and this prank was the riskiest of all he had already played...he just couldn't resist one last time. Once the prank was set up, Thorfinn and a few of his friends slipped down the hall where they could hopefully see the results of their mischief. 

Soon, Professor Snape was striding down the corridor leading to his office, classroom, and his own private quarters. Just before he reached his office, a pail that was suspended from the ceiling tipped over covering him with molasses and then the contents of several pillows were blown all over him...he looked like he had been tarred and feathered. Snape was not amused...he even knew who did it! "Thorfinn Rowle!" he roared. 


	2. Confession and Consequences

Thorfinn knew he was up shit-creek now. If he got expelled, his father would thrash him, before sending him to Durmstrang. He knew he shouldn't have done it but he just couldn't resist it...worst of all? It wasn't even a clever prank, just a spur of the moment piece of mischief...he played and now it was time to pay! Thorfinn walked down the passageway and stopped in front of Professor Snape and prepared to brazen it out. He said, "Sir?" 

Snape glowered at him and said, "This is the last straw. Do you remember what the Headmaster said after your last prank? You and I are going to take a little trip to see him...and then your father is going to be called. Your time at Hogwarts is up, Rowle!" the irate professor said forcefully! 

Hermione was horrified. She didn't want Thorfinn expelled but she didn't have a clue how to stop it. Then she got a brilliant idea...she would tell Professor Snape that SHE did it as the result of a dare and she would take Thorfinn's punishment, thus keeping him safe. So before she had a chance to think it over, Hermione walked over to Professor Snape and said, "Sir?" 

"What is it, girl? he snarled. "Can't you see I'm occupied?" 

Hermione said, "It was me, sir. I did it..." 

Thorfinn looked shocked. He didn't even know her other than by sight. She wasn't even from his own house...so why was she taking the blame for his action? He decided to keep his mouth shut and see what happened. 

"You, girl? You aren't even big enough to do this," Snape sneered at her. 

Hermione replied, "I did, sir. I was dared to do it and I did. Thorfinn had nothing to do with it at all, sir. I am very sorry, Sir!" 

"You may not be truly sorry now but you will, Miss Granger! Two hundred points from Gryffindor. You are banned from Hogsmeade. Further, you will do detention with me until the end of the school year. And for the next month, when you are not in your classes, assisting another professor, eating your meals in the Great Hall, or serving detention with me, you are confined to your dorm room...yes, other than for personal care, you will be confined to your dorm. And you are very lucky I don't notify your parents or the Headmaster. I am VERY disappointed in you, Miss Granger. You are dismissed." 

* * *

Both Thorfinn and Hermione were shocked at the severity of Snape's punishment. This was Hermione's first offense and traditionally, she would have been referred back to her Head of House. Instead, Snape had thrown the book at her. 200 points! Hermione was shocked...her Head of House would be so disappointed in her and all of Gryffindor would be upset with her...she had no idea though just how bad things were going to get for her. Hermione did what Snape had ordered her to do...she went back to her dorm and there she stayed until morning. 

Thorfinn was disgusted with himself. He did that prank and he should have been punished. Knowing however that he would be severely flogged after having been expelled kept him silent. But there was one thing he had to know...who was Hermione Granger and WHY did she lie and take his much-justified punishment? 

* * *

Later that afternoon, Minerva dropped in on Snape. "Ah Severus, I understand that you have grounded Miss Granger for a month, given her detention until the end of the school year...and docked Gryffindor 200 points. Isn't that a little much, especially since she is only in year 4?" she inquired. 

Snape replied, "I know she didn't do it, Minerva. There is no way she could have managed that...she is just too tiny. And that is why I have punished her so harshly...she lied to me about it, thus depriving the real culprit from his rightful punishment!" 

"Rowle? You believe Thorfinn Rowle to be the perpetrator?" 

"I know he is, Minerva. And I mean to force it out of them by punishing her severely. If Rowle has a decent bone in his body, he will confess and take his punishment like a man. That, or Hermione will break and tell all. So, don't interfere." 

And that was the end of the matter as far as Minerva was concerned!


	3. Gryffindor's Reaction

By suppertime that day, all of Gryffindor heard that they had lost 200 points because of something Hermione had done and they were disgusted with her and angry...very angry. Ron dug his elbow into her ribs when he sat beside her saying, "Oops, so sorry", but he didn't look sorry at all! None of the other Gryffindor witches would even speak to her and as for the wizards, they were calling her filthy names. Some even spat at her.

As soon as dinner was ended, Hermione headed to the dungeon to do her detention. Professor Snape had ordered her to wash "by hand", and without magic, every single cauldron that had been used that day. It took Hermione over two hours to scrub all those cauldrons and it was almost 9 pm before Snape dismissed her.

Leaving Professor Snape's classroom, Hermione was surprised to see Thorfinn Rowle leaning up against the wall. As she walked back to Gryffindor, he walked beside her silently. Hermione didn't know what to think so she just stayed quiet and enjoyed the peaceful companionship. Once she reached the Fat Lady portrait, she thanked him for his escort and he nodded in reply.

Hermione hurried in and through the common room. It was no great penance in not being allowed to stay there as she was the subject of nasty snipes, pinches, and other unpleasantness. As soon as she got in her dorm room, she hurriedly got ready for bed. Then she curled up on her bed and started to work on her homework.

Lavender came into the room and leaning over Hermione's bed, she jerked her hand so the ink splattered over her scroll, calling her a useless Mudblood whore who didn't deserve to be at Hogwarts. And then she dumped Hermione's ink bottle all over Hermione, her books, and her bed. Satisfied, a smug Lavender laughed at the sight and slowly sauntered over to her own bed where she got ready for sleep.

Hermione was upset but she knew there was nothing she could do. She couldn't prove Lavender had done it deliberately but they both knew that she had. She muttered a quick "scourgify" and got the ink off of herself and her bed, but her books and papers were permanently stained black. Poor Hermione! It had been a rough day so she put her books in her trunk, crawled back into bed, and went to sleep. Hopefully the next day would be better...hopefully! Unfortunately she thought wrong...


	4. More Fun and Games

The next morning, she discovered that someone had turned off her alarm clock and she was running late. She would have to skip her breakfast in order to be in time for her first class with Professor Snape. She opened her trunk to get her homework and she discovered it was missing. What had happened to it? Who did it and why? Actually she knew the "why"...those 200 missing points. But surely they wouldn't take it this far, would they?

Hermione rushed to Snape's classroom...she was almost late and her professor sniped at her. When she was supposed to turn in her homework, she tried to tell him that she had done it but it was missing...but he would have none of it. He snarked, "25 points from Gryffindor for not doing your homework, Miss Granger, and 50 points for lying about it."

She tried to reply but he overrode her saying, "10 points for cheek and a further 10 points for answering back. Care to have more points taken, Miss Granger?"

She was going to say something further when someone whacked her and said, "Shut up, Granger, or else". Professor continued to glare at her while completely ignoring the fact that another student had struck her. It was pretty obvious that both her Professor and her fellow Gryffindors were out to make her life miserable...all because she had cost them a loss of 200 points just for taking on Thorfinn's punishment herself. And now with a loss of a further 95 points? Her fellow Gryffindors were going to make her life a misery! Hermione had no idea just how right she was!

Leaving the classroom, she was promptly shoved over and she fell on the floor. No one would help her up and she was pretty sure that it was Ron Weasley who kicked her in the ribs while she was on the floor. She could feel that one of them was cracked. It was only 200 points, plus now another 95 points...did her fellow Gryffindors really believe that this loss of points made assaulting her acceptable behavior? It was quite obvious that they did.

The rest of the morning wasn't much better. She got three detentions for not having her homework and assignments ready...and was thoroughly frustrated! How did her professors think she was going to serve those detentions when she was serving detention with Professor Snape every day until the end of the school year. 

* * *

At lunch, it wasn't any better. No one would sit near her, much less actually talk to her. She hastily made a sandwich and ate it...and then she fled the Great Hall. Snape saw her fleeing and he smiled inside. He had heard about what Gryffindor House was doing to her and with any luck, she would soon crack and then Rowle would get what was coming to him!

Snape wasn't the only one to notice Hermione fleeing the Great Hall. Thorfinn Rowle noticed it...he noticed everything about Hermione these days as he owed her greatly for saving him from a well-justified punishment. He quickly finished his plate and then followed Hermione out of the Great Hall. Snape saw that and he grimaced.

Thorfinn managed to catch up with Hermione before she had gone very far. He asked her, "Weren't you hungry, Granger?" before he noticed that she was crying. He pulled her close to him, tugged his handkerchief out of his pocket, and wiped away her tears, asking, "What's wrong?" Hermione began to sob in earnest.

"People are poking, hitting, and tripping me. And today, my homework and assignments all disappeared. The teachers didn't listen when I said I had done it but I couldn't find it and they all gave me detention. Snape even took a total of 95 points this morning, accusing me of not doing my homework, and then took more points for my alleged lying and cheek."

Thorfinn was disgusted with her fellow Gryffindors, her teachers, and with himself, to be honest. Everything that had happened to her was because she lied to protect him from Snape's punishment. The scorn and the loss of points should have been his, not her's.

He said quietly, "Hermione, you should tell Snape that you lied and that it was me who pulled the prank on him. He knows you lied and that is why he is punishing you so much...he is trying to force you to tell him the truth. Let me tell the truth and I will take my punishment like a man."

Hermione looked up at him with tear-stained cheeks. "No, Rowle. I can't do that...I won't do that. You know what your fellow Slytherins will do to you as revenge for the loss of that many points. Hopefully the worse is over...I mean how much more can they do to me?" (Silly Hermione...this was just the beginning of her misery!)

Thorfinn then walked her to her next class and he waited with her until the professor had entered the room before he left her. He would be late for his own class but he didn't give a damn. All he could think was of how Hermione willingly took his punishment. No one ever had done anything like that for him before. Leaving him the questions of WHY did she do that...and why would she refuse to tell Snape the truth so she could save her own skin?


	5. Even More Joy

Her afternoon classes were no better. Someone shoved her while she was attempting a transfiguration and she screwed it up. Because of that, Professor McGonagall took five points from Gryffindor. A book went sailing through the classroom and hit her in the back of her head. Her professor, remembering what Snape had said, conveniently missed it. And of course, she got another detention for not having her homework assignment with her.

At supper, someone jostled her while she was trying to swallow her soup. It ended down the front of her uniform. When she reached for some meat, Lavender pinched her and whispered, "Mudblood whore". Hermione lost her appetite. As soon as she thought it wouldn't be noticeable, she fled the Great Hall. Thorfinn noticed her leaving and picked up two apples, shoving them in his pockets, and followed after her.

Hermione wasn't surprised this time to see that Thorfinn had followed her. She was walking toward Snape's classroom and he walked beside her. As Snape was still at dinner, she had to wait outside his locked classroom until he returned. Thorfinn offered her an apple saying, "You didn't have much dinner...would you like an apple?"

Hermione smiled up at him and politely thanked him. Both she and Thorfinn then sat down in the hallway, each eating their apple in companionable silence. Hermione was so hungry that she ate the entire apple...including the core! Seeing this, he handed her the remains of his, which she accepted. Once they saw Professor Snape approaching, they stood up. Thorfinn whispered to her that he would be waiting for her when her detention was done...and then he left for the library to do his homework.

As he had promised, he had been waiting for her once Snape released her from her detention...and just as he had the previous night, he escorted her back to Gryffindor. He looked down on her and told her that he would be waiting for her in the morning to escort her to the Great Hall for breakfast...and then he asked what time she would be ready. Hermione told him she would be ready by 8 am. He nodded and then once she was inside her common room, he return to his dorm to get to go to bed early.

Passing through the common room, Hermione received more of the same abused she had experienced all that day and the previous night. She hurried to her dorm and got ready for bed. She decided that she would do her homework in the morning. She grabbed Crookshanks and crawled into bed, spelling her bed curtains closed...and then she was asleep.


	6. Another Day, Even More Nastiness!

The next morning she awoke on time...she had taken the precaution of taking her alarm clock into her bed last night so that someone wouldn't turn it off or just steal it. She hurriedly washed and dressed before fleeing Gryffindor. Thorfinn was waiting for her and together they walked to the Great Hall and had their breakfast. Hermione was unable to finish her's as her fellow Gryffindors were making her meals a living hell with their pinches and pokes, as well as with the filthy names they were calling her.

Knowing Hermione wasn't going to finish her breakfast, he discreetly hid a few muffins and a few pieces of fruit inside his robes. His fellow Slytherins looked askance at him and then continued with their own breakfast. And once Hermione had fled the Great Hall, he swiftly followed, to Snape's dismay. He had been hoping that he would break little Miss Granger but it appeared that Rowle was supporting her. He would have to up his game and make things really unpleasant for Miss Granger and then she would finally tell the truth and he could then send Rowle packing!

Thorfinn quickly caught up to Hermione. By now, he had memorized her schedule so he knew where she was going. They both sat down to await her teacher and he handed over the muffins and fruit that he had secreted away for her. Hermione quickly scoffed the lot and thanked Thorfinn profusely. Then while Thorfinn sat quietly beside her, she hurriedly finished her homework and assignments. This time, she thought, she would have the work ready for her teachers.

With the exception of Potions, her classes went fairly smoothly that morning. In Potions, however, someone again shoved her from behind. She then accidentally added too much of one of the potion ingredients into her cauldron and it boiled over on her. Snape was upon her immediately and docked Gryffindor 15 points for her clumsiness. He, of course, didn't acknowledge seeing someone shove her from behind...

And thus went the rest of her week...her fellow Gryffindors venting their spleen on her at any and every opportunity. The only thing that made life worth living was that Rowle continued to escort her to and from her house, to the Great Hall, as well as to and from her classes and her detentions. He also continued to sneak her some food from the Great Hall as she was spending very little time there. With all the stress and missed meals, she was beginning to look pale and haggard.


	7. Another Day, Another Dollar

If Hermione had any thought that the harassment would soon end, she figured wrong. Every time Snape deducted points from Gryffindor because of her, her House stepped up the pressure on her and made her even more miserable! 

At the end of that first week, Weasley and Potter shoved her on the moving staircase and she fell down a flight of stairs, ending up with a broken arm. Thorfinn saw the incident but he wasn't fast enough to prevent it. The best he could manage was to pick up a crying Hermione who was cradling said arm. Thorfinn was furious. He wanted to chase after them and give them the thrashing that they so justly deserved but he needed to take care of Hermione first. His revenge...and their beating...would have to wait! 

He offered to take Hermione to Madame Pomfrey in the Infirmary Wing but Hermione shook her head no. If the mediwitch knew that she had been deliberately injured, she would be duty-bound to report the matter of the so-called "accident" to her Head of House. Then Professor McGonagall would be required to notify the Headmaster...AND that would make her life not worth living. There was just no way she could report her injury; but at the same time, she couldn't fix it herself.

Thorfinn acknowledged her words and then escorted the crying Hermione into an abandoned classroom and proceeded to wipe her tears away before muttering an incantation that would fix her arm. Once he had finished, he offered her a banana, which she accepted, but then offered to share it with him. 

Then Thorfinn surprised both of them by saying rather gravely, "You know, little one, although we don't really know much about each other, I would like to help you. How would you like it if I kept all your homework and assignments with me? I can keep them safe for you and then you can submit them complete and on time. Would that work for you?" 

At first, Hermione was shocked but she mulled the idea over and then replied, "Thank you very much, Rowle. That is incredibly kind of you." 

Thorfinn started to blush and said, "My pleasure, little one!" 

* * *

The next two weeks was more of the same. Fortunately, Thorfinn continued to escort her everywhere she went, even if it mean he was late for class. His fellow Slytherins started to notice his peculiar behavior. At first, they took notice that he was hiding food in his robes...and then they noted that he seemed to be spending much of his free time trailing after a little Gryffindor. What the hell was he up to?


	8. What's Up, Doc?

Slytherin House finally had it with Rowle and his mysterious behavior. En masse, they cornered him in their common room and asked him what was going on...did he have a crush on Granger? 

Thorfinn huffed and sat down. "This doesn't leave this room, right?" he said adamantly. 

Once all his fellow Slytherins nodded their heads in agreement, he continued. "About three weeks or so ago, I pranked Snape once too often and I knew I was probably going to be suspended and/or expelled. And my father would have flogged me for it...and then send me to Durmstrang! Snape caught me and as he was about to punish me, Hermione popped up and said that she had done it for a dare. Snape went ballistic...absolutely bat shit crazy!" 

Continuing, he said, "All three of us knew that she had lied to him but Snape couldn't prove it. So, instead, he docked 200 points from Gryffindor, gave her detention every day until the end of the school year, and unless serving detention, eating meals, or attending class, confined her to her dorm room for an entire month. And of course, Hogsmeade and all extracurricular activities are banned for the rest of the year." 

The Slytherins looked at each other in total shock. That was an outrageously harsh punishment...obviously it was designed to force Granger into telling the truth...but it hadn't...why hadn't? 

Thorfinn continued, "Her house has been tormenting her ever since. Poking, pinching, and prodding her...hitting and slapping her...calling her filthy names. Her belongings have gone missing at least once as well as her homework and assignments." 

"Potter and Weasley actually pushed her down a staircase and she broke her arm. She refused to report her injury to the mediwitch as it would bring down even more vile hatred upon her...so I fixed her arm for her and I offered to hold on to her homework and assignments for her until she needed them. And that too is why I am escorting her everywhere. She could have broken her neck falling down that staircase and so wherever possible, I am with her." 

Pansy Parkinson spoke up, "And you are hiding food in your robes...why?" 

Rowle looked at her and sighed. "They have made Hermione's life a living hell...even at meals. She has been rushing out of the Great Hall as fast as her little feet will take her...but she is still hungry. So, I stick a few things in my robes and follow her out. She eats them while she waits either for the next class or her detention with Snape." 

"Shit," Pansy replied. "Little Miss Gryffindor saved our house from a huge whack of lost points...and look at the other points lost because Snape is docking Gryffindor every time he sees her. He has been absolutely vicious toward her. She is going through hell for our Slytherin House. That can't happen..." 

Thorfinn started to interrupt but Pansy continued, "If you continue to sneak out food and run after her when she leaves the Great Hall, sooner or later, a professor is going to want to know what is happening. How about if I help take food for her and we take turns escorting her places? Then the teachers won't be sure of what exactly is happening." 

Daphne and her younger sister Astoria spoke up in unison, "We will help too...if there are more of us escorting her...keeping her work safe...and saving food for her, it won't be too noticeable." 

Daphne continued, "And if they continue to hurt her, well I know a few spells that will more than return the favor," she said with a wicked smirk on her face. 

Draco then spoke up with the trademark Malfoy smirk gracing his face, "I don't exactly like Granger but I really detest Potter, the Weasel, and most of Gryffindor. BUT...she has done a favor to our House by taking your punishment...so I too will help. And the next time one of her housemates decides to hurt her in my presence, well like Daphne, I know a few wandless, wordless spells that will make those Gryffindor scumbags quite miserable!" And with an evil grin, Draco continued, "And I would thoroughly enjoy making them pay!" 

Thorfinn couldn't believe that his House would be behind him in this matter but he remembered that they always banded together to protect their own. This time, someone from another House helped him and so his House would support him in repaying his gratitude. His House said always said...hurt one of us and you hurt all of us...so the reverse was true with help one of us and you help all of us. He had never felt so proud of being a Slytherin as he had been that evening. 

After that, all of the Slytherins familiarized themselves with Hermione's routine and class schedules. They fixed up a roster that delineated who was supposed to be where and when...and once they had finalized their plans, they headed for an early bed. 


	9. Friends in Low Places

The next morning, Hermione was shocked senseless. Instead of Thorfinn waiting for her outside the portrait, it was Pansy Parkinson who nodded good-morning and then escorted her to her table in the Great Hall. And when she couldn't finish her meal because of all the taunting, this time it was Daphne Greengrass who grabbed some food and followed Hermione out of the Great Hall. Snape narrowed his eyes in suspicion...he didn't like not knowing what was going on with his snakes...he had to get to the bottom of this...

Daphne caught up to Hermione and sat her down to eat the purloined food. As Hermione ate, Daphne said, "This is my turn to take you to your classroom and wait with you until your teacher arrives. When you are done your class, Astoria will be waiting for you to escort you to your next class, which you both share. She will be your partner today in Potions and in Transfiguration...and your protector. I have taught her a few nasty wandless, wordless hexes to use if anyone attacks you."

Hermione tried to express her thanks but Daphne brushed off saying, "You are a friend of Slytherin House and we acknowledge our debt to you. All of us will be taking turns following and escorting you so the teachers won't catch on to what is happening."

Hermione couldn't believe her ears...Slytherin was going to protect her...and she wondered if that included Malfoy.

Daphne's intuition was running at full speed and so she said, "And yes, Draco Malfoy will be helping you tomorrow...he can't believe what your House has done to you and he is more than happy to help level the playing field." And then once she could see Hermione's teacher approaching, she left for her own class.

Later that morning, someone surreptitiously struck Hermione. Astoria then stuck her foot out into the aisle when the miscreant was passing to get supplies from the storage cupboard. When he fell, she snickered. After that had happened a few more times, the Gryffindors realized that assaulting Granger was no longer a free-for-all...that the snakes, of all people, were protecting her. No more "accidents" befell her in either Potions or Transfiguration...and her homework/assignments were handed into her teachers on their due dates.

Gryffindor was pretty upset that their fun had been taken away from them...but at least they could get to her in their own House, which the Slytherin's couldn't enter. And as Hermione had two more weeks to go before her grounding was up, they had all that time in which to torment her. Poor Hermione!


	10. Coming Up Roses

One morning, Hermione woke up and discovered that her trunk had been torched. All her possessions, including this time her uniforms and school books, had been burned up. She had nothing to wear except for her pajamas, which she was wearing. She quickly ran to the portrait entrance and told a waiting Thorfinn what had happened. He ran to his own common room and asked the witches to help him replace Hermione's uniform and belongings. 

Daphne had a spare uniform and she quickly spelled the Gryffindor emblem on it. Astoria was in most of Hermione's classes so she made a copy of her school books. Thorfinn's contribution was a book bag, some blank parchment and quills, plus a bottle of ink. And then he hurried back with all his booty to the Gryffindor portrait and handed it all over to a profusely grateful Hermione. Hermione quickly dressed and met Thorfinn outside. Together they walked to the Great Hall for breakfast. 

While they were eating their breakfast at their respective tables, Pansy and the other Slytherins were discussing what had happened to Hermione. Pansy offered up some undies that she had never worn as well as a nightie. Draco offered up a heavy winter cloak. Marcus offered up a warm hat, along with woolen mittens and gloves. Theo offered more school supplies. 

Muriel had a dressing gown and a pair of bedroom slippers that she swore were too small for herself but would fit Hermione quite nicely! Adrian had a spare pair of fine dragon leather boots that he was sure would fit her feet. And Blaise offered up a discreet book of nasty hexes and jinxes that was charmed to appear like a boring book on magical history! 

Thorfinn was brought to tears over the kindness his House was extending to a member of their traditional enemy...Gryffindor...and at the end of the day, he brought all the booty to her. Hermione was so grateful for all the Slytherin's kindness and generosity toward her and she sent profuse messages of deep gratitude to them via Thorfinn Rowle. 

If any of the teachers had been watching Granger closely, they would have noticed that she was now wearing a finer quality of clothing than she had worn before...but they didn't notice. However...Gryffindor did...and they seethed in anger. How dare she come out smelling like roses after what she did to their House? 

They had intended her to be embarrassed and humiliated with the loss of her belongings. They had wanted to show her that she was no longer welcome in Hogwarts...but the snake's generosity negated their nasty actions...and they were not about to let that happen!


	11. Gryffindor Kicks It Up a Notch

Another week passed and things were relatively alright for Hermione. She was escorted everywhere and the knowledge that she only had one more week to serve of her grounding made her smile. For the most part the slaps and pinches had stopped during her classes as she was sure to be escorted by a Slytherin who repaid Gryffindor cruelty in spades. Gryffindor could only reach her during meals and while she was in their House...otherwise, she was never alone. 

It was during the fourth week that Gryffindor upped their game. They knew that Hermione was too heavily guarded for them to wreak their anger on her so they had to arrange a diversion to get access to Hermione. 

In the end, it was a simple matter of having a student run up to Daphne who had been waiting patiently for Hermione to tell her that her sister had been hurt and was calling for her. If she hadn't been so panicked by the thought that her little sister was hurt, she would have wondered why one of her own House didn't come and get her. Hermione was quick to assure Daphne that she would be all right and to go to Astoria as her sister needed her. 

And then Hermione made a serious error in judgment...rather than waiting for another Slytherin to escort her, she thought that she would go to the Great Hall by herself. While walking down a hallway, she found herself pushed off into an abandoned classroom by a few of her housemates. There awaiting her was Potter and his sidekick, the Weasel. 

She tried to leave the room but they had spelled the door shut. Advancing on her, they grabbed her wand and snapped it into two pieces. The Weasel said that she didn't deserve to be at Hogwarts as she was a filthy mudblood and Potter told her that she didn't deserve to be a Gryffindor either. 

And then the Weasel grabbed her while Potter ripped her uniform down the middle. Hermione protested but the Weasel covered her mouth with his hand. When Potter ripped her panties off of her, she bit the Weasel and screamed again. Potter slapped her across the mouth and told her that she was going to get what she deserved...and then hopefully she would learn her place and leave the wizarding world for good!


	12. Snakes to the Rescue!

At that point, Hermione was sure she was going to be raped...but then an enraged Thorfinn Rowle and his fellow Slytherins burst in the door to rescue her. Thorfinn saw a mostly-naked Hermione Granger held fast by the Weasel, with Potter who having overpowering her, was preparing to rape her! He saw red! He slugged Potter and then grabbed the Weasel, pulling his dirty paws off of Hermione, before he threw him across the room. Released, Hermione then sank to the floor. 

While Pansy, Daphne, Astoria, and Muriel all went to her assistance, Thorfinn's fellow wizards advanced upon Potter and Weasel. The Weasel asked why they were interfering on behalf of a filthy mudblood. Before Rowle had a chance to pulverize him, Draco strode up and belted him across the face saying, "Don't ever call her that name again!"

The Weasel couldn't resist replying, "What, a Malfoy protecting a dirty mudblood. What would your daddy think...? 

And that was as far as he went as Marcus Flint pulled back his massive fist and then punched him in the gut. Doubling over, the Weasel sank to the floor, moaning in pain. "Keep your filthy mouth shut, Weasel, or I will shut it for you...permanently!" he threatened. 

Potter tried to come to the Weasel's defense but he was grabbed by Crabbe and Goyle who held him steady. Draco walked up and said, "Rapists aren't welcome at Hogwarts...! The next time you try a stunt like this, we will kill you!" And then he proceeded to kick Potter in the groin...as hard as he could kick! 

Potter doubled over but Crabbe and Goyle held him steady giving Thorfinn and Marcus Flint an opportunity of their own to knee him in the groin! And then having nodded to Crabbe and Goyle, they let go of Potter and let him fall to the floor beside the Weasel! 

And then it was Thorfinn's turn again... He hauled the Weasel to his feet and then punched him in the jaw, thus breaking it. As he stood over him, Thorfinn said, "IF you ever touch Hermione again, I will break every single bone in your body...before feeding you to the Giant Squid. And if I am unable to do so, all my fellow Slytherin's will happily do so on my behalf."

At that, all the Slytherins nodded in agreement. 

Continuing, Thorfinn said menacingly, "I needn't remind you that you are not to say what happened today...because if you do, the whole world will know that you and the Weasel tried to rape Hermione Granger...my entire House will testify against both of you...and then you two will end up in Azkaban...where scum like you belong!" 

And then Thorfinn stalked over to Hermione and picked her up in his arms. He and all the Slytherin's headed back to their common room. Hermione protested that she wasn't allowed in Slytherin House but they said that she was an honorary Slytherin and she was one of them, as far as they were concerned. 

Once they were all safely in the Slytherin common room, the wizards lined the walls while the witches surrounded Hermione, ministering to her. Astoria dug out some underwear and another shirt and uniform. Escorting Hermione to a bathroom, she cleaned her up and got her re-dressed. Then they all returned to the common room.


End file.
